CVE-2025-43401 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 11/04/2025
A denial-of-service issue was addressed with improved validation. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.7.2, macOS Tahoe 26.1, macOS Sonoma 14.8.2. A remote attacker may be able to cause a denial-of-service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/18/2025
This vulnerability represents a denial-of-service condition that affects multiple macOS versions including Sequoia 15.7.2, Tahoe 26.1, and Sonoma 14.8.2. The issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the operating system's core components, allowing malicious actors to exploit this weakness remotely. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation as classified by CWE-20, which is a fundamental security principle that requires systems to properly validate all inputs before processing them. The affected system components likely handle network protocols or system calls that process external data without adequate sanitization measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it creates potential entry points for more sophisticated attacks. Remote exploitation means that attackers can trigger the denial-of-service condition without requiring physical access or local privileges, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where network exposure is high. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain under the technique T1499.002 - Network Denial of Service, potentially leading to further compromise of affected systems. The vulnerability's remote nature also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it represents an exploitable weakness in a publicly accessible system component.
The fix implemented in the updated macOS versions addresses the root cause through enhanced validation mechanisms that properly sanitize input data before processing. This remediation approach follows security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST Cybersecurity Framework, which emphasize the importance of input validation as a primary defense mechanism. Organizations should prioritize patching these systems immediately, as the vulnerability could be exploited by threat actors to disrupt critical services or create conditions for more advanced attacks. The fix demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date system configurations and implementing proper security controls to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.
The vulnerability landscape for macOS systems reveals that denial-of-service conditions remain a significant concern, particularly when they can be exploited remotely without authentication requirements. This particular issue highlights the ongoing need for robust input validation across all system components, as even seemingly minor validation gaps can result in substantial operational disruptions. Security teams should implement monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures that account for remote denial-of-service attacks. The remediation process requires careful consideration of system downtime and rollback procedures, as operating system updates can sometimes introduce compatibility issues with existing applications or hardware configurations.